The present invention relates to a new and distinct Gala variety of apple tree named ‘Gala 2013’. The new variety was discovered as a sport limb mutation on a ‘Gala Standard’ variety plant (not patented), in a field in Laives area, Bolzano province, Italy. The mutated branch was identified 30 days before the harvesting time and noticed because of the anticipated solid flush red (RHS 53B) coloration of the fruits when compared to the other fruits on the plant still green (RHS 145B) (FIG. 1). At harvesting time, the fruits on the mutated branch appeared dark purple-red coloured (RHS 60A) on 100% of the surface without stripes.
The mutation was first asexually propagated in August 2009 and 15 trees were initially grown in a Griba property field located in Gazzo Veronese in Verona province, Italy. The first observed fruiting of the propagated trees occurred in the 2011 season and confirmed the dark purple-red coloured (RHS 60A) at harvesting time on 100% of the fruit without stripes and the stability of the mutation
In the next years, additional ‘Gala 2013’ trees have been asexually propagated, planted and evaluated in different Griba property fields in Bolzano province and Verona province, Italy. All of the trees of ‘Gala 2013’ have been observed to remain true to type over successive asexually propagated generations and maintain the intensity of their characteristic dark purple red colour (RHS 60A) on 100% of the fruit without stripes.